Stay With Me
by Tangerine342
Summary: I'm scared, and I don't really want to die, but would you stay with me? Just for a while?


**Stay With Me**

"_I'm scared!"_

It wasn't said in nearly so many words, it wasn't said at all, but the former prefect could read the once weak herbivore like a book. It wasn't hard, since the child-no matter how old or experienced, he would always be a child in Hibari's eyes-wore his heart on his sleeve. It was a weakness that the Cloud guardian resented with a passion, yet it seemed to only make him and the others that crowded around them stronger.

"_I don't want to die."_

The sun was beginning to set, bringing an end to the day. Some parents would begin to call their children inside. Some wives would kiss their husbands in welcome after a long day at work. The world remained a perfectly normal place, and yet for the shivering brunet beside the terrifying raven it was another sign that the grains of sand in his timer were almost gone.

For a while they sat as they had for the last hour, even after the sun dipped below the horizon, plunging the world into darkness, and talking the sky with it. Hibari being the strong, statuesque person he was, was fine with sitting in the dark, cold outside, but the warmth on his arm was beginning to disappear, and was being replaced with more terrible shakes. Letting out a sigh at the stupid herbivore's attempt to play it cool, even though he was obviously freezing , Hibari pulled up a startled Tsunayoshi, and began to drag him to the door that a dim light flooded out of.

The effects of being inside and shutting the door had an immediate effect, once he saw the colour working its way back into pale cheeks. The warmth could only do so much though, for the boy still remained pale as a sheet. This was his poorly masked fear though, and there would be no helping that until everything was over, but by then he would only be paler. It wasn't something Hibari was fond of thinking about, but this was the herbivore's last request before he made the last, most stupid sacrifice for his family.

Normally Kyouya would never tolerate anyone being so close to him, or in his living quarters for so long, but this herbivore was different. For most of his life, the runt had been useless, and to an extent he still was, but he held a strong conviction. His will was to protect his friends, his loved ones, everyone he possibly could, call it a family if you wanted to, they were all important, and Tsuna would give his everything for them. In fact he was giving everything for them, but only the coldest person he knew could be trusted with this information. The others would only panic like the scrambling weak creatures they were. He had grown strong through this sheer determination alone, as well as some harsh training provided by the baby, to put on the strong face he did every day. To be the man that Hibari would listen to before biting to death. To be the only one who could bite him back just as hard.

He was brought back to reality when small arms latched themselves around his much stronger one, and headed through the dwelling he knew too well. The guardian didn't mind, since he knew exactly where they were headed, but had to wonder, looking down at the shorter male, just where had that man gone tonight? Maybe he had disappeared the moment he had told Hibari what he needed from him so long ago now it seemed.

"_Hibari-san, in order to save my most precious people, and our classmates from Namimori, would you help me out?"_

"_What is it herbivore? Is it as stupid as your last plan, when you destroyed the rings?"_

"_Ha ha, well, for one I didn't hear you giving any protests when I asked that of you, and second, it depends on how you look at it."_

_No response was given, which the tenth generation mafia leader look as a sign to continue._

"_I'm going to die."_

No, he had known, just looking into those eyes, that the man had already died, and now his image left behind was crumbling piece by piece. They were sitting once again, in a similar fashion to how they had been resting on the porch before, only now they sat on top of Hibari's bed, neither breaking the silence for fear of something breaking. This was beyond a doubt, Tsunayoshi's most harebrained scheme, but the one final plead given to him made him keep quiet. Let the sky bleed red then. Who was he, Hibari Kyouya, to care?

He was the drifting cloud.

He had become attached.

Looking down once more, he found the child to be fighting with sleep, with drooping eyelids, and trying to keep yawns at bay. He refused to sleep, almost as if the world would disappear faster if he fell asleep. Really, it was so much trouble watching over this man, he thought bringing his hand not held in a death grip, to the herbivore's eyes, and bringing them both back to lay comfortably on the mattress.

"Sleep." It was a command not to be questioned, yet the wetness he felt trickling into his fingers seemed to do just that. However as always with this sniffling weakling, the words contradicted the actions.

"Thank you."

"Don't bother. It would just be troublesome if you were awake when I went to sleep. Remember, if you do anything to wake me up I'll-"

"Bite me to death. Don't worry Hibari-san, I'll be quiet since I owe you for this. Even if you don't think you've done anything for it, I'd still like to thank you."

"Hn."

Both easily fell into a light slumber that would be broken by the slightest movement or sign of dawn, but for the whole night, both bodies were able to rest easily. Meanwhile Hibari was plagued by visions of what he knew but chose not to accept. Words he knew would never be spoken, as the herbivore was wont to do.

"_I'm scared!"_

"_I don't want to die!"_

"_Why must there be so much bloodshed?"_

"_This is for the best..."_

"_Do I have the right to be so frightened?"_

"_I'M SCARED!!!"_

He woke up, aware that it was still dark outside, and found Tsunayoshi was still hugging his arm like a life jacket. With a smile the world would never see, he brushed his fingers through brown tresses knowing full well it would wake him soon. They had to leave, or else all their preparations would be for nothing . What he had heard in his dream just before he woke up, struck out at him, and refused to let him think of much else. It had been the final request in this entire mess, and shouldn't hold so much meaning.

As he predicted, amber eyes fluttered open, and looked up at the body that belonged to the hand in his hair. He smiled sleepily, and just nuzzled back into the arm mumbling something about five more minutes. Of course he never got the grace of those five minutes from the tyrant he was spending the last of his time with, and was quickly dressed for the part of mafia boss, and waiting dutifully in the back of the car.

Time seemed to flash by much too quickly. Soon enough they were at the Millefiore base, and they both knew they would never see each other as they were after this. Nothing could be said. Nothing could be done. They had their roles to act out perfectly now of fearless boss, and strongest guardian. Once he was received by the house, Tsunayoshi dismissed Hibari with a gentle smile and lie. He told him to take the car for a spin, so the subordinates of the house wouldn't know that he already knew what was doomed for him. What he really meant was, take the car, get away, and be safe. Doors closed and shots were fired. The body was sent back to their own base when Hibari didn't return from driving around the block.

At the simple funeral he didn't cry even when everyone else, including those unexpected to show emotions, did. He knew that this had to be done, in order to reach a future where everyone was happy, even if it was without a sky. He was plagued by those last words of the man he had loved though, and nearly laughed at the irony of it. Nearly. It wouldn't do to be seen as disrespectful, or insane at the herbivore's funeral.

"_Stay with me."_

"Shame you couldn't do the same for me Sawada Tsunayoshi." With that they closed the lid, and just like the doors shutting that day, Hibari found himself now cut off and unable to see the sky.

* * *

Inspired by this beautiful piece of art:

alysael(dot)deviantart(dot)com/art/KHR-Stay-with-Me-145349984

I didn't quite capture the feel I was going for when I imagined this, but I'm still pleased by the outcome, and the end came as a surprise for me. Very pleased indeed.

Hopefully I didn't do too poorly on this for all the angst it's worth. Now go visit that artist up there and tell her she's beautiful!

~Tangerine


End file.
